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COUNTRY NEWS (December 2007)
Top Tour of 2007
Kenny Chesney had the top country tour of 2007, grossing more than $71
million and drawing in excess of 1.1 million fans, according to
Billboard. The "Flip Flop Summer Tour" marks Kenny's sixth year in a row
playing to over a million fans.
Grammy Nominations
Nominations for the 50th Annual Grammy Awards were announced December 6,
with Taylor Swift and Vince Gill on hand in Hollywood to reveal the
nominees. Gill's These Days is up for all-genre album of the year, along
with a nomination in the best country album category. Swift nabbed a
best new artist nomination. Tim McGraw and Dierks Bentley received four
Grammy nominations each. Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" is up for
song of the year among all genres and best country song. Underwood is
also nominated for best female country vocal performance and best
country collaboration with vocals (for the Brad Paisley duet, "Oh
Love"). The 50th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 10, 2008,
at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Nashville's Sound & Speed Event
Alan Jackson will headline the Sound & Speed event in Nashville on
January 11-12, 2008. Other artists scheduled to perform include Taylor
Swift, Craig Morgan, Jason Michael Carroll and Richie McDonald, former
Lonestar lead singer. The annual event brings together country music
artists and NASCAR drivers for autographs, photos and
question-and-answer sessions. Joining the lineup of motor-sports
celebrities participating are Dale Earnhardt Jr., Indianapolis 500
winner Juan Pablo Montoya, Richard Childress, Michael Waltrip, Dave
Blaney and David Stremme. Proceeds from the event will benefit the
Victory Junction Gang Camp for children with serious illnesses and the
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Blake's Choir Finishes Third
Blake Shelton and his Oklahoma City choir finished third on NBC's Clash
of the Choirs on December 20, with Nick Lachey and his Cincinnati choir
taking the title. Patti LaBelle placed second with her choir from
Philadelphia. Earlier in the contest, choirs led by Michael Bolton and
Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child were eliminated from the competition.
GE donated $50,000 to each of the charities of the choirs that didn't
win; Shelton will give his share to Project Rebuild and Army MWR.
Travis Sues Record Label
Travis Tritt has filed a $10 million lawsuit against Category 5 Records,
the Nashville-based label that released his latest album, The Storm, in
August. Filed December 11 in federal district court in Nashville, Tritt
alleges that Category 5 and label president and CEO Ray Termini
misrepresented the company's financial resources and expertise and
denied him creative control over his recordings. Termini is also CEO of
Haven Healthcare, a nursing home chain that is based in Middletown,
Connecticut. The Connecticut attorney general's office is investigating
Haven Healthcare, which declared bankruptcy in November, to determine if
Termini illegally used Medicaid funds to help launch the record label.
Termini has denied misusing the money. Tritt, who has a four-year
contract with the label, claims Category 5 currently owes him almost
$400,000. Established in 2005, Category 5 also released Sammy Kershaw's
Honky Tonk Boots album in 2006.
Garth Donates Memorabilia to Smithsonian
Garth Brooks donated his first gold record and other career memorabilia
to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History in
Washington, D.C. during a presentation on December 4. In addition to the
gold record for his self-titled debut album, Brooks presented the museum
with original handwritten lyric sheets for "Beaches of Cheyenne" and a
Takamine he smashed in Dallas in 1991 while taping his first TV special,
This Is Garth Brooks. He also donated several pieces of stage clothing,
including a shirt, jeans, hat, belt and elephant-skin cowboy boots.
Charlie To Become Newest Opry Member
Charlie Daniels was recently overwhelmed with a surprise invitation to
become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry. While Charlie was
hosting his annual Christmas For Kids benefit show on November 19 at the
historic Ryman Auditorium, Opry member Martina McBride walked on stage
with what appeared to be a Christmas gift for Charlie. She opened the
small box she was holding to reveal a Christmas card with the official
invitation. Daniels will be inducted as the newest member of the Opry on
January 19, 2008 at the Ryman.
Chris Charged With Misdemeanor Assault
Chris Cagle was cited for misdemeanor assault after allegedly punching a
fan's boyfriend in the face early Thursday morning, December 13. Chris
had performed a benefit concert at the Cactus Moon Café in Tucson,
Arizona and was signing autographs after the show. According to local
police, Cagle was asked by an angry woman to keep signing autographs for
her -- after he had already signed several items for her. When he
declined, she reportedly began to call him every name in the book. While
the bouncers were escorting her and her boyfriend out of the bar, an
additional incident occurred, at which point Cagle allegedly punched the
woman's boyfriend in the face. Police said Cagle explained what had
happened and cooperated with the investigation, but the woman's
boyfriend decided to press charges.
Deaths and Births
Ralph Ezell, a founding member and bass player for the band Shenandoah,
passed away on November 30 in South Dakota of an apparent heart attack.
He was 54 years old. Ezell co-founded the band in 1985 in Muscle Shoals,
Alabama with vocalist Marty Raybon, drummer Mike McGuire, guitarist Jim
Seales and keyboardist Stan Thorn. And singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg
died at his home in Maine on December 16 at the age of 56. Fogelberg had
been battling prostate cancer for several years. He was most known for
pop hits such as "Longer," "Same Old Lang Syne," "Hard to Say" and
"Leader of the Band." Shooter Jennings and longtime girlfriend Drea de
Matteo became first-time parents when they welcomed a baby girl on
November 28. Alabama Gypsy Rose was born in New York and weighed 8
pounds, 3 ounces. Jennings is the son of Waylon Jennings and Jessi
Colter. De Matteo is an actress whose roles include The Sopranos and the
TV series Joey. And Rascal Flatts guitarist/vocalist Joe Don Rooney and
his wife, Tiffany Fallon, are expecting their first child in May 2008.
New Record Deals
Jessica Simpson will release a country CD on Columbia Nashville in 2008.
Julianne Hough, a professional dancer and two-time winner of Dancing
With the Stars, has signed a record deal with Mercury Nashville. Hough
won this year's series with race car driver Helio Castroneves, after
winning last year's series with Olympic skater Apolo Anton Ohno. And
Phil Stacey, American Idol season 6 finalist, is recording with producer
Wayne Kirkpatrick (Little Big Town) for his debut on Lyric Street
Records.
December Releases
Trace Adkins released American Man, Greatest Hits Volume II on Capitol
Nashville on December 4. Adkins's first book, A Personal Stand: Opinions
and Observations of a Free-Thinking Roughneck, was released November 13.
Also released December 4 was a live recorded disc by The Wreckers. Way
Back Home: Live From New York City includes their big hit "Leave the
Pieces," "The Good Kind" and three new songs. Look for a new project
next month by Willie Nelson, Moment Of Forever, which is co-produced by
none other than Kenny Chesney
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